Multiple-spindle dividing-head.



L. MASTRANGEL.

MULTIPLFJ SPINDLE DIVIDING HEAD.

APPLICATION IILBD IAN. 28. 1911.

l Patented Aug. 22, 1911..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

veum/ L. MASTRANGEL. MULTIPLE SPINDLE DIVIDING HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2B. 1911.

1,001,419. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@vwl/yemas cuLUMmA vLANoou/n'n CU..wAs|||NuTuN. 1L s UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS MASTRANGEL, 0F WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HARTFORDSUSPENSION COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

MULTIPLE-SPINDLE DIVIDINGr-I-IEAD.

Loomis.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Application led January 28, 1911. Serial No. 605,154.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis h/IAsTRANonL, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVest Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Spindle Dividing-Heads, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact specification.

This invention relates to multiple spindle dividing heads.

Among the objects of this invention is the provision of an improvedmultiple spindle dividing head.

The invention also provides a mechanism wherein a plurality ofwork-holders are concurrently advanced through predetermined divisionsof a rotation for effecting concurrent and similar movements of a toolor of work to be present-ed to a tool.

The invention also provides a mechanism in which a plurality ofwork-holders are concurrently caused to release and concurrently causedto engage their work.

In one .form of the invention the plurality of spindles will be causedconcurrently to grasp their' work and concurrently advance the workthrough a complete rotation by a series of equal steps or divisions of arotation, and at any desired point in such stepby-step or divisionalrotation be caused concurrently to release their work.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,one practicable embodiment of a form of the invention is illustrated,wherein- Figure 1 is a View, partly in elevation and partly inlongitudinal section, taken through the axis of rotation of one of theunits entering into the multiple spindle head. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe device looking at this from the left hand of Fig. 1, the housing,however, and the eccentric shaft not being shown in this view. Fig. 3 1sa top plan view, the housing being removed.

The embodiment of the invention herein illustrated is particularlyadapted for use in presenting a series of blanks for gearwheels to agang milling machine, whereby a series of similar gears may beconcurrently produced.

A framework designated in a general way by 5, is illustrated, whichframework is shown carrying an elongated bearing-portion 6, in which thecylindrical shell 7, which constitutes the body-portion of the spindle,will be mounted. This shell or cylinder is shown provided with ascrew-thread S, at one end, and at the other end with a collar t). Thecollar 9 is shown abutting one end of the bearing-portion (3. Adjacentthe screw-thread S or inward thereof in the present showing, aworm-wheel 10, is keyed to the cylinder. rlhis wheel, by means of aset-nut 11, is caused to abut the other end of the bearing-pmton G. Inthe present showing there are shown three spindles mounted forconcurrent actuation.

A worm-shaft 12, is mounted in bearingportions 13, carried by theframework of the machine. Upon the worm-shaft there is fast a worm 14,for each of the wormwheels 10. Suitable means presently to be describedwill be employed for advancing the worm-shait't step by step forproducing predetermined step-by-step advances of the spindle.

The end of the cylinder or body-portion 7 beyond the collar i) is shownprovided with a screw-thread for receiving a member 15, provided with aninternal conical or slanting face 150, for engaging the conical faces10, of the jaws 17, of the split-spring chuck. This chuck may be such asis frequently used, wherein the jaws 17 will be carried bysjjn'ng-iingers 18, fast upon a body-portion 19. In the presentillustration the bodyportion 1t), has a working fit within the spindlebody or shell 7. 'lhe chuck will be closed by forcing the faces 1G intoengagement with the face 150 of the member 15. Upon release of theoutward movement of the chuck, with its closing tendency, thespring-arms 18, carrying the jaws 17, will effect, by means of theeamming action of the jaws 150 and 1G, an inward movement of the chuck,thereby permitting the chuck to open or its jaws to separate, whichsepa- `ation will release the work.

In the jnfesent illustration a comjn'essionspring is employed .forforcing the jaws of the chuck into the work-engaging position. Aspiral-spring Q0, is shown. The spring 9.0' is held under compressionbetween the rear end or head 19 of the chuck, and a suitable adjustablemember here illustrated as a cap 21, mounted upon the screw-thread 8ofthe cylinder of the spindle. By means of the cap 21 the tension of thespring may be regulated. When it is desired to release the work from thechuck the spring will be compressed from its chuck end backwardly, whichwill permit the chuck to move iiiwardly for automatically releasing itswork.

A member 22, somewhat in the nature of a piston, it having a working fitwith the inside of the cylinder 7, is carried by a rod 23. This member22 is interposed between the end of the spring 20 and the body-portion19 of the chuck. Upon backward movement, or movement toward the left inFig. 1 of the member 22, the spring will be compressed and the chuckreleased to the action of its spring-arms and retracting tendency. Uponmovement of the member 22 forward, or toward the right in Fig. 1, thespring 20 will be permitted to expand and become active upon the chuckfor closing the same.

The back portion of the device is covered by a removable housing 24,which carries, o-r is provided with, a series of bearings 25, forsupporting an eccentric-shaft 26, which eccentric-shaft is disposedsubstantially in the plane of the axes of the series of spindles and isprovided with an eccentric 27, for each of the rods 23, each rod beingprovided with an eccentric-strap 28, surrounding` the eccentric providedtherefor. The rod 28, which from its connection to the eccentricstrapmay be termed an eccentric-rod, is, in the present illustration, shownas having screw-tlireaded connection with its eccentricstrap, whereby itmay be longitudinally adjusted. A lock-nutr29, is shown for securing theparts in their positions of adjustment. Oscillation of theeccentric-shaft is effected by means of a crank 30, provided with ahandle 31.

It will be seen from the foregoing and by an inspection of the drawings,that the bodyportion 7 of the spindle will rotate, and the eccentric-rod23, together with the spring 20, will remain stationary during therotation. To prevent undue friction between the parts aball-thrust-bearing 200, is provided between the back end of the spring20 and the cap 21, between the outer end of the spring 2O and the member22, and between the member 22 and the body-portion 19 of the chuck.

There will be a certain amount of oscillatory vibration of theeccentric-rod 23 as the eccentric oscillates upon the'center of theshaft 2G. For this reason, where the rod 23 is headed over at 32, in themember 22, it will have a certain amount of play. The opening in the cap21 through which the rod npasses will be made with sufficient clearanceto permit this vibration.

Each of the chucks is shown carrying a blank 33, which in F ig. 1 isshown presented to a milling-cutter 34, illustrated by a circle merely.j

When it is desired to open the chucks for releasing the work, t-hehandle 31, will be ennooners 1 and coinpiessthe spring 20. r1`hewithdrawal of the member 22, or the release of the chuck from thcinfluence of the spring will permit the conical faces between the chuckand thermember 15, with the assistance of the spring-arms carrying thechuck jaws, to move inward and open the chuck jaws to release all thework in all the units concurrently. Upon the application of new work tothe jaws, a r verse movement of the handle 81 will permit the spring 2Oto eX- tend and to force the chuck jaws outward against their engagingfaces and securely hold the work, the chuck jaws moving in unison.

lor the divisional. advance of the spindles concurrently, theworin-shaft 12 will be intermittently rotated predetermined amounts.This movement may in some instances be one or more complete rotations ofthe wormshaft or it may be a partial rotation, as occasion demands. rTheworm-shaft is shown provided with a crank 35, which carries a pin 36,the pin being located in position for registering with selected holes ofa series of holes provided in the plate 37. A fingerpiece 38, isprovided for actuating the pin 36. rlhis indexing mechanism is wellknown and consequentlywill not be described in detail. rThe wormscontrolled by the indeX- ing mechanism will be caused to advance thespindles step by step, through steps which are predetermined divisionsof a rotation for effecting uniform advance of the various pieces ofwork in unison.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, yetit will be apparent that changes within the scope of the claims may bemade without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The combination with a series of spindles, each spindle comprising ahollow cylinder, supporting means for the cylinder, a split chucklocated within the cylinder and provided with conical faces, a membercarried by the cylinder and provided with mating conical faces forengaging the conical faces of the chuck for closing the jaws thereofupon ou tward movement thereof, a spring for pressing the chuck outward,and an aotuator for retracting the spring to release the chuck to theretracting influence of its parts and for permitting the spring to eX-pand to become active upon the chuck for closing the same. Y

2. The combination with a plurality of rotary spindles, each spindlecomprising a chuck, mechanism for closing the chuck and mechanism foradjusting the closing mechanism, the chuck being self-opening whenreleased from the influence of the closing mechanism, oi means forsimultaneously releasing all the chucks :from the influence of theirrespective closing mechanisi'ns and :for simultaneously subjecting thechucks thereto, and indexing or dividing ii'iechanism :for concurrentlyrotatively advancing the chucks predetermined divisional portions ot arotation.

3. In a device of the character specified, the combination with aplurality oit' spindle bodies, each having internal conical faces at oneend, a chuck having arms provided with conical faces for engaging thoseot the body, a member in the nature oit a plunger located behind thechuck, a coiled spring engaging this plunger member, the body beingprovided with screw threads, a cap engaging said screw threads foradjusting the tension of said spring, a pitman connected to the plungerand extending through the said cap, an eccentric, an adjustableconnection between the pitman and the eccentric-strap, means for movingthe eccentrics in unison, and means for rotating the spindle bodies inunison.

4t. The combination with a plurality of spindles, each comprising achuck normally tending to move axially and upon such movement to open, acoiled spring for resisting such movement, a member interposed betweenthe chuck and the adjacent end of the spring, a rod connected to suchmember,

an eccentric iior actuating each rod, means 'for oscillating theeccentrics in unison, and means for rotating the spindles in unison.

`he combination with a plurality of spindies, each comprising a chucknormally tending to move axially and upon such nievement to open, acoiled spring :for resisting such movement, a member interposed betweenthe chuck and the adjacent end oi the spring, a rod connected to suchmember, an eccentric for actuating each rod, and an adjustableconnection between the rod and the spindle.

(3. The con'ibination with a plurality of spindles, each having a chucknormally tending to move inwardly oit the spindle and to open upon suchinward movement, a spring for restraining such tendency to inwardn'ioveinent, means for withdrawing the in- V[luenee of the spring fromthe chuck, an eccentric for actuating each spring-withdrawing means, anda shaft carrying the eccentries.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LOUIS MASTRANGEL. Vitnesses Guias. Lvox ltussnLL, IVM. C. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

